The Road to Hell
by Ninken ears
Summary: Side story to Inside the Fire. Don't read unless you have read up to chap 13 of ItF. Deeper look in to what happened in Tani. Very Dark content after 2nd chap. Viewer descresion is advised. OCs abound.
1. Looking Back

_Warning. Don't read this unless you've gone past chap 13 of Inside the Fire. You will ruin it for yourself._

_Another warning: These guys belong to me. Naruto does not, but these guys do. _

_**Looking Back**_

* * *

"A masked man and a spoon-bending woman? How exciting...What do you think Akino?" The slightly overweight man smiled as he brushed back his graying hair out of his face and turned from the scuttling waiter to his long trusted friend and guard. His eye brows high on his head with barely contained anticipation.

Akino tried to frown at his boss but couldn't help the small knowing smile that tugged at his ever stern lips. "I'll go get them Kobiyashi-san."

"Fantastic. I'll finish here, just bring them through to the garden…and Akino…be nice."

"Of course."

"You say that, but I know you too well. Your grudge against other Shinobi is a flaw Akino, not everyone is like your village." Kobiyashi gave him a tap on the forehead to go along with the mild rebuke. A sad smile fell across his face as he looked toward his rogue-snow-ninja.

"So you continue to tell me…."Akino bowed slightly and turned from the pitying gaze the older man pointed in his direction.

"..And so you continue to ignore me!" Karu called after him as he walked away to retrieve the visitors.

* * *

The renegade snow-ninja rounded the corner and trained his eyes on the two Shinobi on the grounds of the Jade-Badger; both looked incredibly out of place. The man had a muscular build and dark hair, his eye was covered with the Hitai-ate that proclaimed him to be a Konoha Shinobi. He watched as the man spoke to the blonde woman beside him and then both faces turned and looked toward him expectantly.

Thirty feet from them the familiar buzzing sounded in his ears and metallic taste in his mouth was all he needed for his kekkei-genkai to alert him; they were under henges. _'How can I be nice, when they show up liars already?'_ He mused with irritation in response to Kobiyashi's previous suggestion.

After a brief and decidedly annoying encounter with the man, who seemed just as cocksure and tactless as most other ninja he had ever met, and his partner, the blonde woman with a friendly smile and a delicate and polite way about her, Akino led them to the garden. The blonde woman took his arm graciously as they made their way along the side of the house.

"I will tell Kobiyashi-san you are here" he said with a curt nod of his head, as the two concealed shinobi stared around at the elaborate zen-garden his boss enjoyed so much.

He strode over to the aristocrat who was just finishing up his last set of exercises. "They are here, and they are in henges and have Konoha insignias. Should I remove the henges?"

Kobiyashi stood and looked toward the two leaf-ninja across the garden. "Is that man wearing a mask and covering his eye?"

"Yes. He's very disagreeable….the woman—"

"Who bent the spoon?"

"Yes the woman who bent the spoon—"

"With only her fingers?"

"So it would seem… She is much more tactful, I doubt the man will be very interesting."

The business man narrowed his eyes and smothered a smile as he stared at the young dark-haired man in front of him. "Akino, I swear you're so uptight. So they are in Henges, they are shinobi. It's what they do; they sneak around and ask questions. Maybe they've noticed the fluctuation in the merchant classes."

"Maybe, but I wouldn't be too hopeful…"

"Go tell the people in the kitchen to bring food up to the meeting room. I'll take them there and you can remove the henges behind closed doors. I don't want to scare them off just yet."

"They could be dangerous Kobiyashi-san. Ninja don't wear henge unless they need to hide."

"Ooh hush Akino, you worry too much" Karu waved a dismissive hand in the snow-ninjas face.

"I'm afraid you don't worry enough." Akino huffed out and shook his head as he walked toward the house.

* * *

"I am Saito Nagasawa and this is Asami Kusakabe." The masked man introduced himself, his voice smooth and even.

'_Oh sure you are...and I'm the Hokage.' _Karu couldn't help himself. He played the charade with them. He marveled at the way the masked, one-eyed man refused to acknowledge the perverse way he was being toyed with. Silently tolerating having his space invaded, while eliciting the most minimum effort to avoid it. He gave off an indifferent and secure air; he was definitely someone Akino wouldn't like.

The woman was a bit more of a mystery. She bantered with him, answered his questions and was much more approachable than her mute companion. Her chakra control was astonishing. She had neatly bent the tiny tea-spoon in half upon his request with no more than a few fingers, and without breaking it, or simply smashing it to pieces.

'_I'll have to find out who these two little lost leaves are.'_ The prospect of two high-ranking shinobi coming to see him was dangerously close to orgasmic for the tea-house owner. He had longed for the adventurous life of a shinobi as a young boy and the passion did not recede with age. Though his rationality towards his future did grow as he matured, and he realized that he could never be one of the Shinobi he admired so much. So he chose a different way to make his mark in the world.

The logic had led him down the path he was currently on and he did not regret it; he was a promising entrepreneur with several businesses and associates in the surrounding countries. He hadn't quite broken through to the higher circles in the business world, but he was bridging that gap quickly. He was happy, successful, and reaping the benefits of his own diligent work. Life was good.

Still, two Shinobi in his garden wanting to speak with him covertly...it was about to push him close to a blissful coma.

They wanted to ask him questions; well he had his own questions to ask them. "I would love to sit down and talk with you, but I need to shower first. I've asked Akino to get the cooks to prepare a light breakfast. Will you join me?" He asked with a warm inviting tone. He needed to get to his books and search for these two. He also needed to get them in a room to have Akino tear off those awful henges. Who were they?

"We would love to Karu." The blonde woman accepted amiably, and took his proffered arm. _'So kind... No wonder Akino found her so tolerable.'_ He noticed with amusement, her masked partner was trailing behind them like a dead man walking toward the noose.

* * *

After he deposited the two shinobi on the western balcony that overlooked the yard he rushed toward where he knew Akino would be waiting.

As expected the snow-ninja was leaning over the desk in the small room that was filled with various shinobi gear, books, short-swords, katana, kunai, scrolls, masks, Hitai-ate, and more books. The room was his shrine to his boyish passion for the Ninja world.

"Akino is that the bingo book we got a few months ago?" he was constantly searching and buying all sorts of Ninja items. His very favorite was the bingo-books. It was all so very exhilarating.

"Yes…I'm looking through the Konoha ninja." The dark-haired man replied, running his finger along the pages quickly as he tried to figure out who those two inside the tea-house were. This was his house; he had been here for years. Kobiyashi had taken him in when he was just a child; he was a trained kekkei-genkai snow-ninja, but a child nonetheless. Konoha shinobi showing up at their door to ask questions did not bode well. Despite his boss's excitement on the topic, Akino was worried.

He knew shinobi; they were underhanded, sneaky, ruthless and manipulative. They tried to force him into a marriage to secure footing in the aristocracy of the village. They pressured his little sister into the chunnin exams too quickly, in an effort to raise the name of their clan in the eyes of the others.

She died during those exams, carrying the weight of her house's failure on her shoulders as he looked on. He watched like a coward as she struggled. He refused to move to help her, as she lay there. When his family sneered and turned from her with disgust, he had sneered and turned too. He would never forgive himself.

'_Akaiya'_

The memory of her eyes haunted him, as she lay bleeding on the ground staring up toward them. The images of the medic-nin rushing toward her, when no-one else would.

Those eyes, always those eyes, begging him.

He was her big brother, who had always been there for her, who had picked on her, taught her, showed her how to tie her shoes and how to walk up trees. Those eyes pleaded for him, full of the guilt and shame she carried, to please understand how sorry she was. The eyes that watched and waited for him to go down to her, to hold her hand as she lay broken and beaten, struggling for a life she wasn't sure she wanted anymore. She died there waiting for him, and he had let her die alone. He hated himself so much.

A month later he left the entire village and fled in the night. Like the coward he was, he ran. He was too afraid to stand up for what he believed in, too afraid to contradict the power of his family. He ran as fast and as far as he could until he ended up on Kobiyashi's doorstep several months later.

"Here!" Karu thumped his hand on the book in front of them snapping Akino from his memories. "Hatake, Kakashi…_the Copy-nin_. _**He is in my house!"**_ The man nearly squealed with delight. "Oh Gods Akino…I _**love **_him! I've read about him so much! He's in _**my house!**_ I know it's him! He is the one who trained that Uchiha that went rogue and the Kyuubi boy, from the war!"

"Hatake, Kakashi..." Akino looked at the page quickly with a pronounced frown while his boss rattled off meaningless facts about the one eyed man in his ear. The copy-ninja of Konoha was indeed a well known name, even in the civilian world. You didn't need to understand his abilities to understand the weight and power behind that name. "Kobiyashi…he's a high level shinobi. This seems like a bad idea."

"hmmmm…now the woman…" Karu pulled the book away from Akino, ignoring his warnings, and flipped the pages. "Hatake is from a well known team…and…I think…" He flipped a few more pages, stopping on when he reached his target, reading it over, and slapping it with a satisfied smile. "There is a woman on his team. I knew it! Haruno, Sakura." His finger slipped down the page as he read off information. "Chakra control, and power, a talented medic, the Hokage's apprentice….it's her."

Akino narrowed his eyes and stared at the rough sketch of the woman. Was this really the polite and considerate kunoichi that took his arm so gently? "If that's her, Kobiyashi, these are dangerous people. We don't know what they are after."

"Gods Akino, relax. If they wanted to hurt us, do you think they would walk in the front door and ask? You said yourself the girl was well-mannered. You're too quick to judge others. Trust goes both ways Akino, you are too harsh. If you can't reach out to help others, how can you expect to ever receive help yourself? If I thought the way you do, I would've never allowed you to work for me when you really needed it." Karu scolded his Second with a pained expression. It was difficult for him to see the man he had grown so close to constantly keeping everyone at a distance with his puffed up façade of intolerance.

The rogue snow-nin fell silent. Guilt slipped over his shoulders like a familiar jacket, wrapping around him tightly. He thought of his sister, reaching out to him.

Her eyes. Those dark eyes that pleaded for someone to understand how frightened she was and how hard she had tried.

'_I'm sorry Akaiya'_

He hadn't helped her when she needed it. He hadn't stood up for her when she told him about her fears of not being ready. He hadn't gone to help her when she was clearly in over her head. He didn't tell her it was ok and he was sorry until after she was already dead, and even then he only did it alone, afraid to let anyone know his remorse over the sister that died as an embarrassing failure to their house.

Wasn't that the reason why he left the village in the first place? To get away from the people who imposed their views and stood by and watched others struggle in vain. She was his sister and he let her die, nothing could make up for it. He shouldn't be so judgmental, Karu was right. Who was he to judge right and wrong?

He wouldn't trust the leaf-shinobi, but just hearing them out, he could do that. That was all Kobiyashi wanted.

The masked man was an irritating ass, but the woman, she was very respectful. She had done nothing to cause him to be so suspicious of their actions. "Ok Kobiyashi-san, we should at least hear what they have to say."

"That's my boy!" Karu clapped him on the shoulder with a delighted smile. "Plus, she looks very pretty…I bet she's better looking in real life. How long has it been since you went out with anyone?"

Akino shook his head; the older man was constantly trying to set him up with some woman or another. He glanced down at the sketch and had to admit she did have a certain charm to her face, and it said she had pink hair. How did that happen? "She's the Hokage's apprentice Kobiyashi, and she's on a mission; she's not here trying to meet some man."

Karu shooed the words away with a flippant wave of his hand. "Pfft, you meet people wherever you go, and you're not just some man…" He patted the snow-nin on his back and turned to walk away calling out forcefully as he did so. "Akino! I have told you a thousand times just this week alone…Stop calling me Kobiyashi; there is no need unless we are in a business setting! Now I'm going to shower. I'll bring them to the meeting room when I'm finished!"

"Yes Kobiyashi."

"…and Akino…don't forget I need you to go down and see over the club tonight and start the preparations for the Rain Daimyo next week! As soon you remove the henges and we see that they are not _dangerous_ I will dismiss you."

"Yes Kobiyashi."

"Karu….it's Karu!" and the door slammed shut behind him.

The kekkei-genkai user smirked at the closed-door and glanced down at the page that held the picture of Sakura Haruno before closing it and putting the book back where it belonged.

* * *

The standoff in the meeting room between the Konoha shinobi and the two men from Tani was brief; Karu had the effortless effect of putting people at ease with his enthusiastic personality. It seemed the two wary ninja were not resistant to his charms, even after their henges were ripped from them and their cover blown. Or maybe they were just that desperate for answers.

As soon as they were all settled and decidedly not murderous, Karu dismissed Akino as planned. The snow-nin hovered outside the doors for a long time, just in case. Then he removed himself from the tea-house to tend to the club on the other side of town.

* * *

It was well after one in the morning before Akino returned, and he sought out his boss in the garden where he knew the older man would be.

Karu sat sipping on a small cup of tea as the wind blew through the trees in the quiet night. The soft sound of the tiny brook that ran through the center of the Zen garden was a soothing lullaby he enjoyed every night. He didn't hear the silent approaching footsteps of his friend; only the soft flop as he sat in the chair to his right, with much less dignity than he would have if there were anyone else around. How he wished Akino would drop his guard a little more around everyone else. He was so always alone. "Rough night?"

Akino scoffed into the darkness and ran a hand over his face. "Yeah, a fight broke out around eleven, and then _**everyone**_ wanted to fight about **e**_**verything**__._ Some woman even threw her shoes at me…."

Karu laughed quietly at his second in command's distress. "Did you keep them?"

"I threw them back at her, then threw her whole group out…she really pissed me off." A small snigger escaped his clenched jaw. He hated getting so mad, it was embarrassing and unprofessional. The woman had been a loud bitch though, and why would she throw her shoes? She could have thrown her purse, a drink, another woman, and he wouldn't have cared. But shoes? That had been on her feet? It seemed so rude and tacky.

"Akino…" Karu attempted a rebuke but couldn't. He dropped his head back, and laughed loudly at the idea of Akino tossing women's shoes around, all flustered and angry.

"I know. I shouldn't have…" He stated very un-apologetically.

Karu shrugged. "Whatever. She probably won't even remember tomorrow. How was the turn out?"

"Full house….as always. This place is going to make people take notice of you Kobiyashi. I think the Daimyo will want you to open one in Rain soon. It's only been open a year and next week will be his son's fourth time here."

Kobiyashi nodded. "I've been hoping so; every time he comes he brings more and more people. There were even some people from wind-country that wanted to come see it. The future business dealings are looking very promising for Swift River." He had a lot of ideas for the club's future but he would have to wait a few more days until he told Akino about them.

"…And how was the meeting with Haruno-san and her partner?" Akino switched topics as he raised his hands above his head to stretch his back and run a hand through his hair. In all honesty he had wanted to stay and talk with the unique looking woman. Not the man. She had piqued his interest with her modest smile and sensible personality, hiding the fact that she was a medic-nin monster and had perfected chakra control to an art that he could never hope to fathom. She was interesting.

"Kakashi is his name." Karu smirked, amused by his friends obvious preference to the pink-haired leaf ninja. He himself enjoyed tormenting the brooding masked-man quite a bit.

"Whatever it is…he grates on my nerves." Akino yawned and waved his hand dismissively, a habit picked up from Kobiyashi over the years.

"Doubtless he feels the same about you. You're both very similar, all puffed up and posturing at each other for no reason."

"He was being difficult as soon as I met him." Akino turned to peer through the night to the man beside him as he tried to explain his side of the story defensively.

"..Said the man who glares at everyone…" Karu shifted in his seat and leaned his chin on his hand. "Anyways, I told them about the merchants and all the weird shinobi that keep showing up at the club…they didn't really explain why they are here. Just that they are looking for anything or anyone suspicious. It's very mysterious…"

"Did you enjoy getting to play with the leaf-ninja for the night?" Akino asked wryly. Kobiyashi's fascination with ninja was borderline obsessive.

"Don't be jealous, and yes I did." He spoke in a serious tone before biting his lip and releasing the full force of his excitement. "I feel like I'm part of a mission! It's thrilling; I've always wanted to do this since I was a boy!"

"I know, and I can see that they are not here to cause trouble, but we still need to be careful. Don't get too close Kobiyashi-san. They are obviously here for something important..." He could still remember when Kobiyashi discovered that he was actually a rogue-ninja from snow.

The man had almost had a conniption fit that Akino had kept that fact a secret for so long. He had proceeded to question him for hours on all aspects of his previous life in Snow-country. It was horrific.

Akino had told him all about the forced marriage and overbearing clan. He could never bring himself to talk about Akaiya; she was his own burden. She was his secret. The morning she died she took a piece of him with her. He couldn't talk about something he no longer possessed.

"Yes, they are, so I offered to take them to Swift-River next week with us. We can introduce them to the Daimyo's son. And I told them about the offer you got a few months ago…"

"Hnnn, yes… that was strange."

"Yes it was." Kobiyashi stood and patted his friend on the knee. "Get some sleep Akino. I'll see you in the morning. "

"Goodnight Kobiyashi-san"

"Goodnight."

* * *

**A/N**

_I almost didn't post this because I know if anyone would care to read it... but then someone told me "you've already written it...why not?"_

_So our Friends Akino and Karu are back. I love these guys. I needed to tell their side of the story and here it is..._

_Of course we all know how it ends already...b__ut If you want... I'm going to show you how they got there._

_This is four chaps long. It's already written so won't have to wait long to get the whole picture. I'll post a new chap every few days._

_Warning. This story will get extremely violent and probably depressing... but you already knew that too._


	2. Looking Foward

**_Looking Forward_**

* * *

"Turuko come here." Akino waved the young-man over to him and held out a note. "Take this to the 'Sinking Ship' motel downtown. Ask which room the kunoichi from Konoha is in, and give this to her."

The boy nodded quickly, happy to get out of the busy kitchens of the Jade Badger for a while. Maybe Akino-san would even give him some extra payment for the long trek across town. "Yes Akino-san, I'll leave right now."

Akino nodded tersely and watched as the boy pocketed the note and hurried out the door before he walked back to find Kobiyashi. He located the aristocrat pouring himself over the monthly expense and profit reports for the two businesses he ran locally in Tani. There was a separate stack off to the side for the shares he had with his business partners in different cities. He looked up and smiled brightly as he saw his Second approaching.

"Akino, did you send the note?"

"Yes, Turuko is taking it now."

"Ahhh, he is a marvelous young man wouldn't you say? He's very eager to learn."

Akino pursed his lips and thought about how many times he had to tell the boy to stop sipping all the tea and to not hover so much around the customers. "Yes, he is eager…"

Kobiyashi laughed light-heartedly and pointed to the papers beside him. "Emiko has sent word that she expects the Hotel in Suna to be very busy in a few weeks. The wind-festival is approaching and she asked for you. She is getting older you know... She could use the help, and that idiot son of hers doesn't know his head from his ass. I don't need him taking advantage of the craziness, and spending all the money while Emiko is trying to run our business. Why she even puts up with him is beyond me..."

"Ughh..." Akino scoffed. It was no secret how he felt about Sagawa-san's son. The man didn't have a head for business; he mostly just had a head for women and spending money frivolously. "Yes, of course I'll go help Sagawa-san." He hated the wind-festival, but someone had to go. He would just have to deal with the floating paper birds, giant kites and an explosive amount of drunken festival goers. Fun.

"I know you will, and Emiko has such a soft spot for your surly face. She will be overjoyed to see you."

Akino nodded in reply. Sagawa-san was a brilliant woman and had a sharp eye to turn a profit. It was sad to see her falling victim to her age. Emiko's constant and failed attempts to mold her son into a reputable man that could take over the business left him feeling helpless and irritated. He sat in the chair across from his boss and reached over for the stack of papers concerning the Suna business dealings.

"Akino, I've been thinking—"

"A dangerous habit of yours..." He answered mildly

Karu shook his head with another laugh and pointed an accusing finger at Akino. "One that you've picked up on over the years I believe."

"Much to my deep shame..."A tiny smile slipped over his lips as he narrowed his eyes at all the numbers on the paper.

"Pfft, don't be so sure of yourself. It's unattractive—"

"You find it attractive enough on the masked-man from Leaf." He glanced up at Kobiyashi who was trying to keep an awkward smile off his face.

"Akino…leave an old man to his wistful fantasies, I'm all alone, and it's all I have left." He pressed his lips together tightly to keep his smile down.

"Oh, so….Garimatu, Yakabo, Jinsuke…" Akino ticked off his fingers as he named his employer's recent flings.

Kobiyashi's mouth dropped open and he scoffed as he tried to think of a reply. He couldn't think of one, so he just shrugged good-naturedly and waved his hand in dismissal. "They weren't Shinobi, and they got so boring after a while."

"hnn, you're too picky…"

"I'm too picky!? Said the man that hasn't been out with a woman in how long?"

Akino shrugged and mimicked the dismissive hand wave. "They got boring after a while…"

The two shared a moment of quiet laughter at each other's expense. They knew each other too well.

"So as I was saying..." Karu stared pointedly at his rogue-snow nin. "I have something I'd like to talk to you about and I've been thinking about it for a while. I'd like to have you take over the club Akino."

Akino creased his brow in confusion. "What?"

"I'd like you to take it over; run it alone. I'll back off, I'll send everyone to you-"

"What are you talking about Kobiyashi-san?"

"Listen to me boy; I want to give you Swift River to operate alone. We will do a trial period for the next year. I'll be here to advise you if you need it and if all goes well…we'll sign the papers. Then Swift River, along with any future business dealings and profits…will be yours to undertake."

Akino sat quietly, still trying to process the information. "…But why? You just built it. Everything is going well. You know Rain is going to ask you to open one in their country soon."

Karu shrugged with a sad smile. "Because it's mine and I can, and it's time to see how much you've learned from me…I only have one request."

"What's that?"

Karu looked back toward the papers in front of him and jotted down a few notes, not wanting to see the effect his request would have on his friend. He wanted Akino to succeed. It was the reason he decided to turn the club over to him; to see his protégé step out from his shadow and make his own way. But Akino had some things he needed to work out if he was going to stand on his own two feet in life, and he needed to start working them out soon. "I want you to be happier Akino. I want you to try to find some happiness outside of this, and stop being so scared of everyone else…you need to make an effort ..."

Akino's eyes slammed down to the desk in front of him and he clenched his jaw. That had hit a something in the Kekkei-genkai user's heart. Did he deserve it...Happiness? He was happy here, working toward something, building businesses and managing people with Karu. Outside of that, his life fell short. He didn't want anyone to get close; he didn't want them to know his secrets. He had been with a few women but never anything serious. It was mostly just a physical need he had to satisfy every once in awhile that drove him to consort with the opposite sex for anything other than work.

He had no friends outside of Kobiyashi. He had no-one. Once he had someone. She looked up to him, she worshipped the ground he walked on and he left her all alone when she needed him the most. Once he had something to protect and he ran like a coward. Now he had nothing but work. Wasn't it better this way?

"I'm serious Akino. I need you to be whole if you're going to run this business…you need to get over whatever this is that hangs on to you, or it's going to drag you down. It's dragging you down already..."

'_Akaiya. I can't let her go. I already let her go. I can't leave her... I've already left her. How do I forget something I've already forgotten so easily?"_

Karu frowned across the table at the familiar expression of torment that slipped onto Akino's features every time his past was mentioned. His tall dark-haired friend kept his secrets closely guarded, but the effects leaked out through the cracks and drowned him. No matter how carefully he tried to keep them tucked away, he was but a cats-paw to his past. It made him suspicious and insecure, and he overcompensated for those feelings with a mask of confidence and diplomacy. He kept everyone at a distance, even Karu himself.

The Tani business man only knew the parts of his friend's past he was told, but there was something more Akino never spoke of. It took awhile for him to see it. His dark haired friend kept his emotions so heavily guarded. But it was there as plain as day for him now; this heavy weight Akino carried with him and that was eating him alive slowly but surely. If only he could get him to open up and share his burdens.

If he wouldn't do it alone, Karu would force it on him. He needed Akino fixed. How else could he turn over the businesses when he got too old to run them? He had no family, no sons and no daughters. He only had this Snow-ninja with a hidden past and an unsure future.

Akino sighed deeply as he struggled to put his emotions back in the box they belonged in. It wasn't that easy, you can't just let it go. Karu didn't understand. He had a privileged life; a life sheltered from the harsh realities of death, hate and guilt. He never had anyone's life in his hands; he never watched them suffer for his failures. He never looked on as a loved one struggled. He never turned and walked away as their life slipped from them. It was pointless to argue with him. He could never understand. "Ok Kobiyashi-san. I'll try."

"That's all I want." Karu smiled and kept his eyes on the reports. It wasn't over, it was just the beginning, but it was a step. And this time it wasn't a step backwards. Small victories often lead to wars won.

The conversation turned back to work and the two men began discussing Akino's role in running the club, and the dealings with Emiko he would face in Suna in a few weeks.

After a few hours they were interrupted by a waiter to tell them the two leaf-shinobi had finally arrived. They were very late, much to Karu and Akino's shared chagrin.

* * *

The meeting with the two high-ranking Shinobi was brief. It seemed to Akino that his previous feelings toward the silver-haired man were wrong; he wasn't just a tactless leech, but a completely insufferable tactless leech. His only quality worth commenting on was the fact that the pink-haired kunoichi seemed, for some reason, to be fond of him. Why she was so tolerant of the masked-man was a mystery.

The four of them discussed Karu's plans about Swift River and the Daimyo group. It was a good idea, but had its drawbacks; the two would have to expose themselves as Hatake Kakashi and Haruno Sakura. It was a bold move, but if they wanted to get close to the Daimyo's son it was a risk they would have to accept. Two low class shinobi weren't worth talking to for people of the Daimyo's stature. The copy-ninja and the Hokage's apprentice, well that was a different story altogether. Who wouldn't want to brag about drinking and partying with them for a night?

An odd moment passed between Sakura, Kakashi and the large disgusting dog named Bull that both Tani men noted. The dog had asked her before is she was all better _'now'_. Then the dog again brought up the fact that she had been hurt, and mentioned the name 'Sai.' The stress and anxiety that leaked off both leaf-ninja was almost chokingly thick as the dog began telling a story to explain his missing ear. Kakashi had quickly cut the dog off from finishing his sentence and both Shinobi failed to comment on the situation any farther. Something bad had happened and no one was sharing.

Akino couldn't help the way his gaze constantly fell on the demure profile of the pink-haired woman. The light scars that she had on her face kept him enraptured. What had she been through? What had she seen? Her green eyes held sadness behind them. She spoke so courteously, but the bingo book only told of her power on the field. Who was she really? Why did she look so hurt, then so happy the next moment? Was she only forcing her happiness? She had been through the war, who had she lost? How did she deal with it all?

His daydreaming was cut short as the woman met his gaze with a small smile. The spark of hesitation he had about the two shinobi turned into a flame of fear as she asked him how such an interesting kekkei-genkai user ended up employed in Tani by Kobiyashi. His life. His secrets.

Karu leapt on to Sakura's curious question within seconds. He had no hint of the indecision his dark-haired companion had. Kakashi and Sakura had been brought here and had their henges ripped off, it seemed such a small thing to explain the source of their unexpected unveiling, and rude not to try at all. He tried to describe the path that had brought the snow-ninja to the Jade Badger and his current employment as best he could. He would pay for it later probably. But this was a step in the right direction and it wasn't as if the two leaf-ninja were in a position to compromise their allies.

* * *

After they both walked Sakura and Kakashi to the edge of the estate, Akino turned on his heel with a scowl as he dropped his forced air of coolness and looked on his boss. "Why would you tell them that Kobiyashi? They could tell anyone and then what would happen?! You had no right; it's not your life!"

"Akino it wa-"

He threw his hand out to stop any answer the businessman had for him. He pushed past Karu to stride across the yard toward the back of the house. His anger, irritation, anxiety, and fear dropped over his shoulders and blinded him to all else.

Karu could only watch with a resigned sigh as his friend stormed off.

* * *

The next night Karu clicked his tongue on the roof of his mouth as he made his way out to the east balcony he knew Akino would be on. The rogue-snow ninja had spent the entire day out of the estate and out of Karu's sight, apparently still very angry. Akino would never come to him to resolve the issue; he never had in the past, and the past was often known for repeating itself.

He really hadn't intended to upset his Second so much with the telling of his story, and now he would have to apologize. Akino was so intolerable when he was mad. He glared, he glowered, he mumbled, he scowled, and he also made the staff very nervous.

He opened the door and stood silently next to the figure of his friend that sat sulking and overlooking the yard, his elbow on the arm of the chair and his chin on his fist. He couldn't look more morose if he tried.

"Akino, you'll have to forgive me sometime…."

"Sometime maybe…but not yet. You don't know what could happen to me if the hunter-nin found me. That shinobi you paid off was a fluke. You let it make you overconfident. The shinobi world isn't something to be taken so lightly. It's dangerous."

"I know—"

"Do you?! Do you really!? Because sometimes I wonder about that... "He answered with a sneer.

"I'm sorry Akino. I'm sorry. Is that what you want to hear!?" Karu scowled and lowered himself into the other chair. Akino's anger something akin to a communicable disease, and he was about to catch it.

"No its not…" The snow shinobi trailed off with a sigh as he rubbed his face. He didn't know why he was so upset; it was typical of Karu to pull something like that with only barest of approvals. He should have known the minute he told him he was willing to make an effort; the man would dive right into it. He dove right in to everything. It was something he admired about Kobiyashi; his ability to follow through.

"Well what do you want?" Karu sighed deeply. He hated having these depressing sorts of conversations.

"I don't know...it's just..."The frustrated snow-ninja blew his cheeks out and winced. He had been thinking about something all day. It was a step, but saying it out loud to Karu would make it a deal done. _ 'A step…a step…a step.' _Should he take it or should he stay the same? Maybe he could just take this small step and see where it left him. "…It would be completely ridiculous of me to ask Haruno-san out to eat wouldn't it?"

The air might have shimmered if Kobiyashi's glee had been only a few degrees higher. "Is that why you're so upset?" He whispered conspiratorially. "Oh I should have known…" he clapped his hands together with excitement. "You're always **so** dramatic Akino…"

Akino shook his head. _'…look what I've done…'_ It wasn't the **only** reason he was upset, but it was one of the reasons. He was being just as frivolous about the pink-haired woman as his boss was with her silver haired comrade.

He just couldn't get face of the Kunoichi out of his mind; how she looked in that tense moment when they mentioned the name _Sai_. How she prepared for the worst head on when their cover was blown. The way she took his arm gently, and the way she smiled with embarrassment when he complimented her after he removed her henge. She had something he could relate to; a pain and a past. He could almost feel it on his skin when she was around him. She had her own Akaiya, it was all over her, and she lived in it like he did. He wanted to know more about it, and about her. " ...I was just thinking about-"

Karu clapped his friend on the shoulder. "It's a good idea. She's on a mission though so she might be hesitant to accept…don't make her feel uncomfortable about it..."

"Yeah I thought about that…." He had thought about a lot of things, none of them seemed to change the fact that he wanted to speak with the Kunoichi more.

"Tomorrow night I'll keep an eye on the club, and you can go see her." He stood wincing as he rubbed an ache out of his knee. "Do you forgive me yet?"

Akino shook his head slightly, he was still irritated with the way Karu had put his life on display for the leaf-ninja, even if it wasn't done perfidiously "Not yet Kobiyashi-san….."

Karu shrugged. Forgiveness was something Akino did not come by easily, but eventually he would. He knew he would, he always did. "Maybe tomorrow… I'll be out all day, so I'll see you after the club and you can tell me all about dinner with Sakura." He shut the French doors behind him and left Akino alone with his thoughts.

Akino tapped his foot on the ground and stared across the yard. Yes, tomorrow he would forgive his friend for his transgressions. Tomorrow he would ask Sakura out to dinner. Tomorrow he would take a step. Tomorrow would be a new day.

He stood to go inside, inhaling the night air deeply and looking up at the brilliantly lit sky.

'_Good night Akaiya...'_ Those eyes stared back at him from his mind. They never slept, never answered, never forgave. They only waited.

* * *

**A/N**

_Thanks for reading so far._

_We're halfway done now._

_Heres your warning :: Next two chaps are **Dark.**_


	3. Falling Down

**_Falling Down_**

* * *

Akino grimaced up at the sky that loomed dangerously close to another downpour.

Dinner with Sakura had gone much better than he had anticipated. She was hesitant and edgy around him the entire time, but still charming. They talked about the Daimyo and several other safe topics. He had tried a few times to move in closer to her; a hand on her back as they walked or to brush the hair from her face when it fell in her eyes. She had nearly panicked each time. It was reassuring in an odd way. She was a dangerous kunoichi, but she was still a woman, and wary of his end game. He had even thought briefly about a light kiss at the door. He was a man after all and her attractiveness couldn't be denied. But she had run from him before he could make up his mind.

He shook his head at himself. Sakura did nothing outwardly to invite his forwardness. She only went to dinner with him and she hadn't even let him pay. Her stubbornness and the slightly nervous way she behaved around him were amazing to watch. She was a shinobi to the core. She had very tactfully told him that she put her mission first and that alone was her priority in Tani. He was stunned, and impressed. There weren't many women who didn't fawn all over him when he showed interest. Maybe that was the reason he felt the need to tell her his intentions. It seemed slightly masochistic of him, especially since she told him specifically she wasn't looking for a romantic entanglement, but oh well. If she wanted it, he needed her to know where he stood. The door was open and he was interested.

They hadn't stepped anywhere close to each other's past during the outing, but he felt strangely comfortable around the little pink-haired konoha nin. He was looking forward to watching her in action at Swift River tomorrow night. Also, seeing her in that dress Kobiyashi picked out would be an added bonus.

He rolled his shoulders, left the overhang of the hotel and stepped out into the dimly lit streets to begin the hike back home. It wasn't too late; Kobiyashi would still be at the club. At Least he would have a few hours to prepare for the onslaught of questions that would face him when Karu came back. He heaved out a deep breath as he came to the edge of a small stone bridge and stared down at the black water rushing under it, full and fast after the rain.

"So did you get a chance to fuck her? Cause you weren't up there for very long...I would've fucked her..." a gruff voice whispered from directly behind him.

Akino turned quickly, but was too slow. His knees buckled as a blinding light flashed across his eyes and a sharp pain shot up his neck.

"Easy big guy. We just have some questions we need to ask you."

The rogue-snow ninja blinked at the ground that was now so close to his face. As his eyes came back into focus, he glanced up at the dark figure that spoke to him. "Are you a hunter-nin?" He asked harshly as he sat back on his knees. A trail of blood leaked from between his lips as he pushed himself up. He couldn't sense any chakra on the man, none at all. It was like this giant was invisible.

"..I'm huntin' something..." the big man chuckled.

He felt dizzy; his brain was starting to swirl uncomfortably like he had a few too many drinks. His pulse seemed to be rising along with his temperature. He reached for his chakra but instead of slipping lightly to where he wanted it, it puttered sluggishly and ignored him. He opened his eyes… or did he close them? It was so dark, he couldn't tell. "What did you do to me?" he croaked as he put a hand on the throbbing spot on his neck.

"Well now, that would be a poison my associate makes, part of his kekkei-genkai. Works pretty fast...huh?"

Akino caught himself on his hands as he dropped back down to the ground, his breath coming out raggedly now. He couldn't string together the words he wanted to say or get them out of his mouth. He couldn't even remember if he had ever even learned to speak. The spinning his head was throwing his world sideways, and he was slipping off of it. He clutched the stone under his fingers, as if that could help him cling to his fast fading consciousness.

The big tormenter watched the man struggling to fight off the poison with a bored frown. "Ok, I need to get you out of here before someone sees us."

Another crack across the side of his face and Akino slipped right off the edge and splashed into unconsciousness.

* * *

It was one in the morning when Karu rounded the corner toward the garden he loved to sit in. _'hopefully Akino is here...he wouldn't go to sleep without telling me about his dinner with Sakura, because I __**will**__ wake him up.' _He was thrilled Akino had gone out to eat with the kunoichi. Maybe that was what he needed this whole time; another shinobi to talk to. A pretty girl Shinobi.

He scoffed loudly as he approached the familiar, very lonely, and empty looking table and chairs he had expected to find his friend sitting in. "Damn him…" he narrowed his eyes at the empty chairs.

The chairs stood defiant under his harsh gaze and refused to quiver in fear. The sheer insolence made Karu narrow his eyes even more.

"Meetin' someone?"

The strange deep voice called from beneath the trees, causing Karu to start in surprise. "Who are you? You're not supposed to be back here." He questioned. His irritation with the empty chairs vanishing in the wake of the strange visitor.

"What are you doing with the Konoha-shinobi? What have you told them?"

Terror seized him; his heart skittered around in his chest like a mouse trying to find somewhere to hide, because the big bad cat just found him hanging out in the pantry. All of a sudden, his decision to mingle with the Fire country ninja seemed just like the bad idea Akino told him it was, and less like the exciting adventure he wanted it to be. He stepped back away from the stranger, looking behind him for help.

"Hey, where are you going?" With speed that seemed unnatural for such a big man, he approached Kobiyashi and stood towering over him. The enormous stranger was a wall of force and threat that surrounded and filled him. Sweat broke out on his forehead, his stomach was clenched and his mouth was dry. He had to pee. _'Where is Akino?'_

"You are the one that told them about the merchants' right?" The stranger asked, already knowing the answer.

Karu shook his head 'no'. He couldn't find his voice. It had left with his courage, without consulting him first or even having the forethought to leave the lesser emotion of resolve in its place. He was empty but for anxiety, panic and shock.

"Don't fucking lie to me. We've got your friend, that kekkei-genkai user." The stranger sneered in impatience.

"Akino?" His heart slammed to a stop as he grasped the big man's meaning. His friend. They had his friend. The man that told him to be careful. The man that warned him not to get too close. They had Akino. "...Where is he?"

"Nope, that's not how this works. You answer me. What are you doing with the two Konoha shinobi?"

"I don't know…" He shook his head and displayed his empty hands, as if the emptiness of his hands proved the emptiness of his involvement in the situation. What was the right thing to say? What did this man want? He didn't know the answers.

Karu couldn't help or stop the way his voice started cracking, or how the tears began spilling down his face. What were they going to do to him, or to Akino? _'What are they doing to Akino?'_

"Don't **fucking** cry..." The giant spat. He hated the display of emotions Karu was exhibiting in his distress. Gods, why did they _always_ start crying? It was so annoying.

Kobiyashi's shame and fear overwhelmed him as he tried to control his trembling jaw. What had he done with his stupid careless desires to play Ninja? "Please don't hurt him. We were just trying to help. We didn't know-"

The big man's hand reached out and shoved him back into the chair roughly. "Tell me now...or I will kill him, and you." He ground out through clenched teeth.

The threat of death kick-started the business man's brain and he rattled off all he could think of as quickly as he could between his sobbed, choked breaths. "They were asking questions- I told them about the merchants-I noticed some irregularities- I don't know-they didn't tell me a lot-"

"When are you going to see them again?"

"Tomorrow-They are going to go to the club when the Daimyo's son is there-They want to question-"

"Ok, here is what you're going to do for me. You keep them busy tomorrow. I don't care how. When you get them to the club tomorrow night, you come around the back. Me and my friends will be there and we'll have something for you to do. You do this one little thing and you and your boy are free to go. No harm done. But if you **tell** them, you **warn** them, you don't** show up** or if **anything** goes wrong.- **One**-**Fucking**-**Little**-**Thing **-**Goes**-**Wrong**-..."He punctuated each word with a sharp jab to Karu's chest with his finger. "I'll kill **your boy**, I'll kill **you**,and I'll kill **everyone **you've** ever** fucking met! And **none** of it will be fast...do you understand?"

"Yes…I'll do it..." Kobiyashi nodded quickly as he gripped onto the hope of maybe surviving this encounter. His heart was pounding against his chest and he felt light-headed. Akino was his family, his friend. This was his fault. He would have to do whatever they wanted. He needed his friend back.

Ryota walked slowly back from the direction he came in, leaving Karu trembling weakly in his chair. A small smile graced his face. Fuck, it was fun scaring civvies. They were so damn easy. The faggy Tea-house owner was theirs. He was too afraid for his own life and his friend's life to try anything stupid. Things would be alright now; Norio wouldn't be so pissed at him about the merchant buildings as soon as they got the Konoha shinobi and their two accomplices taken care of.

* * *

"'_Akino...Akino!...come on!" Akaiya called out impatiently, glaring up at her older brother. He sat in the chair on the upper deck of their large porch, looking over a scroll and attempting to ignore the dark-haired girl that was screaming at him from below. He knew what she wanted. He had just come back from a mission and hadn't seen her in a few weeks. Of course he knew what she wanted._

"_What? ...No Akaiya... I already showed you a thousand times." He tried to sound annoyed but a tiny smile ruined the effect. _

"_Well show me again!" She squeezed her eyes shut and clasped her hands together, begging him._

"_Fine...go ahead..."He sighed as he stood up and walked lazily down the stairs. He pulled on her hair sharply as he walked past her. He didn't need to look over his shoulder to see the impudent look she was most definitely sending to his way._

_The young girl inhaled deeply, formed the signs and slipped into a henge of what he was sure was an imitation of one of their clan elders, and then gave him the thumbs up._

_He shook his head at her old-man henge and exhaled. He reached down towards the buzzing taste that happened when his Kekkei-genkai alerted him that something was amiss in the area. Within seconds he sent his pulse of chakra radiating out, and Akaiya's henge dissolved._

_The girl smiled brightly at her brother. "Help me try now." As was always her second request once he displayed his mastery over their house's power. She had yet to harness the ability of the Kekkei-genkai their clan was known for, but she tried every day. And he always helped her._

_He nodded as he walked to her side and dropped down to one knee, pulling up his own henge. "Can you feel it...right here?" he poked her behind the ear and again on the side of her throat. "It's almost like you can hear it, and taste it..."_

_Akaiya nodded quietly, her eyes closed as she tried to pinpoint the sensations Akino was talking about. "How come you're helping me now...but you won't help me in six months when I need you the most?"_

"_What? ...What are you talking about?" He asked in confusion. The surroundings faded around them and he blinked, trying to steady himself on the ground that wasn't there anymore._

_Akaiya turned on him, her eyes watching as he struggled to understand. "You know what I'm talking about Akino..." She reached her hand up and slapped him harshly across the face. "You never deserved me. You lied to me...you're a coward...you're a traitor..."_

Reality hit him like a slap in the face. It was just another dream. His head hurt, or maybe his eyes hurt. No, his jaw hurt. _'...What happened?' _ He pushed himself up to stand. No, he didn't. He moved his arm to help pull himself up, because his legs weren't working. No, his arms wouldn't move either. His groggy mind danced around crazily in a room of shadows and fog, not listening to his desperate demands to go back out to the light of sense and understanding.

"Norio, I think he's coming around." A strange scratchy feminine voice whispered through his haze.

'_Norio...who is that?'_

"Is he really?" A happy deep voice answered. A light tap on his cheek made him remember he had a face, and that face had eyes. Eyes he could open. Yes, he would do that.

He pried open a heavy lid, his other one didn't want to open all the way, it seemed too tight. A bright smile was the first thing that he could discern from the surroundings, and then the dark-skinned man that was attached to the smile, sitting across from him. A diffused light filtered down into the squalid little room he was in and he located a red haired woman with a large scar on her neck that stood behind the smiling man.

"Akino is it? I'm sorry about the face, Ryota is very...vigorous."

'_Ryota...'_ Akino turned his head slightly and looked down at his arms tied to the chair, a dark metal bracelet encircling his wrist. _'Chakra depletor.' _He turned back toward the Smiler as the situation fully dawned on him. The big man by the bridge. The stab to his neck. He was asking about Sakura and Kakashi. "…What do you want?" He asked in a listless tone as he ran his tongue over his teeth. One of them was shattered toward the back.

"Well well well, straight to the point. I admire that." Norio's grinned broadened ever so slightly. "We couldn't help but notice the amount of time you were spending with two shinobi from Konoha. I just want to know...everything you know."

The restrained snow-nin inhaled deeply. He hated it when he was right. This is just what he had warned Kobiyashi about. He exhaled, leaned over and spit out the blood in his mouth, along with a few pearly fragments of tooth. "I don't know anything..." He shrugged. Why would he tell this grinning fool anything? He was smiling everywhere and being so damn friendly, as if they were the best of friends and they were just catching up on old times. Instead of the reality where the Smiler, was in fact, questioning him while he was poisoned and tied to a chair. No, he didn't feel up to a secret sharing slumber party right now.

"I'm sure you know something...you just left Sakura-san's room a few hours ago. What do they know? "

Akino leaned back in the chair and stared across at Norio in silence while he continued to trace his tongue around the bruised insides of his mouth.

"Shy? Well, we've got the cure for that." Norio glanced back at the red-haired woman. "Jun, what kind of cure do you think our guest needs for his shyness?"

Jun frowned at her teammate. _'...like he doesn't know what we have...' _She reached down and picked up the case at her feet and handed it to him. "Same ol' stuff..."

Norio sighed at Jun's lack of theatrics. You had to make the job interesting somehow. She was so boring sometimes. He smiled back toward Akino and opened the case for him to see. "Mostly physical remedies are what we offer here..."

Akino stared at the few tools in front of him. They were all very normal looking; a few pliers, knives, senbons, and a thin strand of rope. All very normal, but in the circumstances he found himself, they left a thick cloying taste of doubt in his mouth. Maybe it would be simpler just to tell him what he wanted. _'I don't owe anything to Sakura and Kakashi...all they did was bring trouble. All they did was put me in this situation...'_

"So do you need one of our cures, or do you suddenly feel you've lost your initial timidness and want to share with us?" Norio questioned light-heartedly.

"I-" He opened his mouth but a small voice flashed across his mind and made him hesitate.

'_Coward...traitor...they trust you and you're going to turn your back on them...just like you did to me...'_ He swallowed his sentence. She was right; he was always taking the easy way out. He was a coward, a betrayer. He was marked. They had taken him because they knew he was weak and he would break; they counted on his disloyalty.

"You? You what?" Jun hissed impatiently behind Norio.

Akino leaned over and spit out another mouthful of blood. He was weak and he always had been. He was too scared of his sister's memory to betray anyone again. He couldn't do it, no matter how easy it would be. He was too much of a damn coward. He nodded toward the case in Norio's hand. "I'd... like the pliers..."

Norio exhaled deeply and looked truly disappointed in him. "You won't soon..." He turned toward the woman at his side. "Jun..." He motioned toward their captive.

Despite his resignation to this path, he couldn't help resist when the woman named Jun yanked him back by his hair and, with a chakra dripping hand, forced his mouth open. He couldn't stop his quick panicked breaths as he felt the metal slip in his mouth and clumsily grasp on to one of his back teeth. He couldn't control the choked noises that slipped from his throat each time the searing pain shot down his jaw as a tooth was yanked at and pulled free from his mouth in a grinding, popping squelch of blood.

It happened three times. Each time he tensed and tried to pull away while Norio tutted softly from above him, that this was just what he wanted. Then Jun would jerk his head back harder.

"Ok, Akino...now are you ready to tell me everything you know?" Norio sat back down from his previous standing position over the Snow-ninja, dropping the now slippery pliers to the ground with a loud echoing clatter. He wiped his red hands on his pants nonchalantly; his grotesque smile ever present.

Akino's chest heaved and his head hung low, his mouth was a screaming cavern of pulsing agony. He fought to keep his heart from flying around wildly in his chest; to stop his brain from filling his body with adrenaline. That wouldn't help him. He couldn't get away. He needed to think clearly. A long trail of blood and spittle slipped from between his lips to mingle with the others that had already dripped onto his chin, neck, chest and floor. _'...What do I do...?'_

"Come on, it's easy. Just tell me what you know about them and this will all be over. You can go back home and pretend it never happened. I didn't even pull out any front ones…you won't even notice."

'_Run back home and pretend it never happened. That's what you did with me...isn't it Akino?'_

Yes, it was what he had done. He ran home and acted like nothing bothered him. And when that wasn't far enough from the shame, he ran from everything he knew. He was always running, always making up excuses for his behavior. He couldn't run home from this; she would be there, her eyes looking at him. She was always there, judging him, begging him, hating him. He was too afraid to go home if he betrayed the Konoha Shinobi. He would have to add that guilt to his already overflowing pool. He would have to look into those eyes and try to explain why he had run away again. He was too much of a coward for that. He couldn't do it

"Just tell me..." Norio whispered softly and patted the dark-haired man on the shoulder reassuringly.

"...Knives..." He rasped between breaths and stared at the forgotten case on the floor.

"I'll do it..." Jun shook her head and hastily snatched up the short curved knife. She was the team medic; she had the steadiest hands and the most practice. Flaying people was more of an art than a science, but she had painted a few pictures in her time. If this close-mouthed tough guy wanted to play, this was her game.

She tucked the knife into his shirt and cut it away, the shredded garment dropped to the floor and soaked into the fresh gooey blood below. She bit her lip as she looked down at his naked chest and stomach. No fat, how annoying. That just made her job that much harder. "Norio, hold him." she continued to stare at their captive, who was still gazing at the floor. What an asshole. Why couldn't he just tell them what they wanted to know? Then they would kill him fast, and she could go to sleep.

The swarthy shinobi nodded and moved behind Akino, tightening the restraints on Akino to a severe degree and then wrapping an arm around his neck to keep him from struggling. "Keep still or she might slip and stab something important." he whispered cheerfully.

The cool touch of the knife sent his heart flopping into his throat, the blazing heat as it slipped slowly into his flesh, pulled his heart back to the pit of his stomach. The anguish such a tiny object could produce seemed illogical. She cut with a precise and practiced hand; cursing in frustration when he would jerk away quickly, spasm in pain, or even if his breath would shudder to jaggedly. He was ruining her attempts at perfection.

It burned so much. It scorched across his chest. The pain spread wildly as she peeled his own skin back, keeping tension on the flap she was pulling up while she meticulously separated the connective tissue that was below. His entire body was coiled tightly, pulling in futility against the restraints. He tried desperately to escape the small blade the woman wielded, but he was stuck. He couldn't get away. He was trapped. He was being carved open, and all he could do was nothing.

He could hear it rip. Feel it. It was like a bed sheet being slowly torn. Except he was the sheet, and that was him being torn slowly. So slow. It was his skin being flicked carelessly onto the ground from the slick flat of the blade when she would mess up. It hurt so much.

She cut into him again. He could feel blood saturating his pants and dripping down his legs as it leaked from his fresh wounds. She pulled up sharply and dangled a strip of flesh a few inches long in front of his face and tossed it aside. Was it only a few inches? It seemed so much longer when she was dragging the knife through him. Splitting him. He could feel it, even when it wasn't touching him.

Someone kept screaming in his ear. Gods they were so loud. Why were they yelling like that? When Norio's hand slipped over his mouth, and the screams became muffled, he realized who was screaming. The man holding him down was saying something. He couldn't understand what. His pulse was flickering so rapidly that the pause between beats was almost non-existent. The blood was pounding in his head and he felt himself growing dizzy. He was going to pass out. Gods he wanted to pass out. She was cutting again, or maybe she hadn't ever stopped. Maybe she would peel all the skin from his body and he would still be alive. The knife was his whole world.

Then it was over.

* * *

"Jun, you were doing so well! What happened?" Norio smiled brightly at the woman. She had managed to cut four strips off of Akino, and the last one came off in a whole piece. That was quite a feat.

"He's going to pass out if I do anymore. I might even have to heal him a little if you want to keep talking to him..." She tilted her head toward the man in the chair, who was beginning to tremble uncontrollably.

"Huh..."Norio turned and stared at Akino with his hands on his hips, pursing his lips in thought. He was really being a lot more trouble than he was worth. It was ridiculous.

"Norio...Jun?" a familiar voice sounded in the distance.

"In here." Jun called out.

A second later, Ryota entered the room and looked at his bloody teammates, and then to mess of a man in the chair. "Wouldn't talk?"

"No Ryota. We just decided to practice our dentistry and test out our paring knives..." Norio sighed and rolled his eyes at his big teammate.

Jun laughed softly as Norio's sarcasm caused the big mans face to darken with irritation and embarrassment.

"Well, I got at his boss; the queer from the tea-house. He is the one for sure that told them about the merchants, like they wrote us. He said he noticed some irregularities..." Ryota offered, trying to compensate for his previous blunder.

"Fantastic, they will be happy to know it's a contained awareness. How you managed to send them to the **only** person in town that actually had a clue is beyond me Ryota..." He rolled his eyes again." ...and they are going to the club tomorrow like we were told too, right?"

"Yeah. He's going to meet us around the back as soon as they get there."

"Great then, we will get this all taken care of and continue with the plan. As long as Kakashi and Sakura are handled _'They' _will calm down. Plus the others should be here soon too."

"Yeah it'll be alright. We'll get them tomorrow night. I just checked up on them. They're at the hotel; in their rooms...nothing's happening." Ryota shrugged.

"Ok well..." Norio looked back at Akino and frowned. He was tired. It was morning already and he had another long night of this to look forward to tomorrow. "Jun, heal him. We don't need him dead yet. Norio...he's all yours. I need to get some rest...just **don't **kill him." He spared the big man a warning glance before leaving.

Jun shoulders slumped and she scoffed toward Akino. She didn't want to waste her chakra healing this asshole, she was tired too. She walked the few feet to him and leaned over, her fingers ghosting over the shaking man. She summoned the healing chakra with a grimace and pressed her hands more firmly on Akino's chest. He was going into shock. Well, who wouldn't be?

She pulled him back from the brink a few small steps as she healed him. She even toyed briefly with the idea of healing the wounds on his chest, just a little. _'No...Let him feel it… it might help open that closed mouth of his later.'_ She looked down at her bloody hands, repulsed. Gods she needed a shower.

"See ya Jun" Ryota waved goodbye amiably as his red-haired team-mate walked out of the room past him.

"Ryota...really... please, don't kill him..." She mumbled and returned his wave. "See you in a few hours."

* * *

Akino teetered on the edge of consciousness as the three talked like he wasn't there. He clutched on to the Intel that was being listed off. The shinobi in him tucked away the information. Information was weapon and he was decidedly unarmed. It was the only thing he could do._ 'Kobiyashi, they've talked to him. They are using him...I never forgave him...I never apologized...'_

As Jun healed him minimally, all he could see was those eyes. They spoke of his failure to protect what he was suppose too, to do what he should do. All he could do in life is let down the people who cared for him the most. It was his legacy.

* * *

**A/N**

_So I actually spent a good amount of time researching how to flay people alive. My google search history is disturbing._

_There is actually a preferable position and it's not tied to a chair, but oh well. Norio and Jun didn't have all the right tools for that._


	4. Never Getting Back Up

**_Never Getting Back Up_**

* * *

_Life is just the misery between disappointments_

* * *

Karu was sweating, disheveled and anxious. He had been all day. Sakura and Kakashi showed up later than he expected. He was supposed to keep them busy all day, but they didn't show up until after lunch. Was that going to get Akino killed? Was he going to die because they were late?

They both questioned him on his behavior. He was acting strange, he knew it but he couldn't stop. Sakura asked after Akino's whereabouts. He wanted to throw up when he thought about his friend. He was going mad._ '...He said all I had to do was help him…and he would let Akino go...'_ The light of hope that statement gave him was all he had in his dark world of confusion and fear.

Getting them ready was impossible; Sakura was taking forever and Kakashi was bitching about his tie. How could they be acting so normal when so much was on the line? _'...Because they don't know...'_ He thought about telling them. He almost did it hundreds of times, but fear was a powerful gag. What if that man and his friends were listening in? What if they were watching right now? He didn't say anything, and in the end, he just rushed Kakashi out the door with a promise that Sakura wouldn't be far behind. He had to get to the club, had to get them there soon. If Kakashi was there, Sakura would follow.

The club was throbbing with life as he walked the silver-haired man to the Daimyo's group on the upper level. They all exchanged pleasantries and as soon as no one was looking he made his escape back down the lower level to watch for Sakura's arrival.

Time seemed to crawl by agonizingly slow for the club-owner, but only ten minutes had slipped by before he spotted her entrance._ '...She looks so wonderful...'_ Guilt ate at him for what he was about to do. He was lying. He was betraying them. They had only been nice, and both seemed genuinely concerned with his unnatural behavior._ '…Maybe I can tell them, they will help...they are Sakura Haruno and Kakashi Hatake... They can help us...' _ He took a quick step toward Sakura.

A strong hand gripped his shoulder.

"Took long enough getting here. Why aren't you out back yet? We've been waiting." The big man from the garden was at his side in the dark corner. How did he get there so fast? Had he been there the whole time?"

Karu jumped. "I was going right now. I just wanted to wait till Sakura got here."

"I saw her walk in, she looks fuckin hot in that dress..."

Kobiyashi stood silently in the back hallway, staring out over the club he intended to give to Akino.

"Here." Ryota pushed a white envelope in Karu's hand. "Wait a few hours 'till they've both had a few drinks in them. You get them some drinks, slip this into both, and get them outside. Leave them in the back, walk around to the front and wave. We'll see you, then this whole thing will be over and you can get your friend and your life back. Ok?"

Karu nodded in reply and clutched the envelope._ '…What am I doing? ...How did this happen? Maybe it will be fine, maybe they just want to warn Sakura and Kakashi. They probably just want to ask them questions..that's all it is. '_His attempts at convincing himself fell short. He was going to get them both killed, but he had to. He had to save Akino. He had to save himself.

He waited in the back supply closets that led to the alley behind 'Swift River'. He couldn't trust himself not slip up and tell Sakura and Kakashi; couldn't count on them not to see straight through his lies. This is what he wanted; to be part of a mission, to live an exciting adventure. He asked for it and his naïvety had led to this. He just wanted his life back. He wanted his mundane life back.

The plan went without hitch. Sakura and Kakashi trusted him, didn't believe he would betray them. They were so wrong. It would cost them dearly. He left them both in the alley as they quickly succumb to the effects of the drugs he had slipped into their drinks. He walked around to the front and waved unsurely.

"Wonderful, you've done it then? Our leaf friends are all slow and tired?" A cheerful voice rang out melodiously form behind him.

Karu spun in shock and looked at the three people behind him; a black-skinned man with a pleasant face, an annoyed looking woman, and the giant. His voice left him again and he could only nod.

"You did great, thank you very much Kobiyashi-san." The dark man nodded appreciatively. His smile was so easy and warm Karu felt himself growing confident again. "Akino? Is he ok? Can we go?"

Norio nodded and held his hand out, beckoning Karu to follow him back down the alley.

Karu followed hesitantly, looking around for his dark-haired companion as they rounded the corner. He could see the light where he had left Sakura and Kakashi alone. "So we can go?" he asked again.

"Ahh yes…that. " The friendly man winced and shook his head. "I'm afraid not. We had to question Akino quite severely, he was being very stubborn...and I'm sorry but we can't let you go either. Unfortunately, you both know way too much to be allowed to just walk free..." Norio shrugged apologetically.

Karu's brow fell in confusion as he struggled to understand what he was being told. He stepped back from the three. "…but…he said..." He pointed at the big man. "He said we could go if I helped..."

Norio nodded in empathetic understanding and walked toward the frozen, confused Club-owner. "Yes, I know, but..." He offered a sad smile. "...we're liars." He grabbed Karu's shoulder and shoved him toward Jun.

A squeak of protest escaped his mouth as he plummeted toward the woman. She laid her hand on his head and he felt a surge of coolness. Then he slumped forward and fell to the ground.

* * *

Akino wheezed in a gasping breath, his chest shuddering under the effort of his quest for air. His hours with Ryota had left him a heaving, rasping bloody pulp. The invisible man with no chakra traces had plenty of chakra to go around. He had decimated Akino's ribcage and abdomen with quick, expert blows. Pausing every once in a while to ask a question, most of the questions he asked, Akino couldn't answer even if he wanted to. A part of him recognized that this man wasn't interested in answers at all. He only wanted to hurt him. He was doing a very good job.

His vision began to flicker. He was so cold, his body shivered violently. He was too hot; sweat was dripping off his face. He opened his eyes. He was alone. Had he fallen asleep? He couldn't remember. How long had he been here? It seemed like years. His feet were wet, it was irritating. He leaned forward to look down, his body quivering with the effort to tip forward slightly. His shoes were dripping and slippery with red. _'My blood...so much. How could I have any left?'_ He listened quietly for his pulse, unsure if he actually was alive. _'Still there...' _ His eyes slipped shut again as he listening to the soft erratic beat of his heart.

"_Akino, the elders want to put me in the Chunnin exams. They are going to force sensei to allow it, I know they will. I don't think I'm ready." Akaiya bit her lip as she sat next her brother who was sharpening his kunai._

"_Akaiya..." Akino frowned and dropped his hand that held the weapon to his lap._

"_I still haven't even-"_

"_You'll be fine, don't worry about it. You know how much-"_

"_I know how much they are counting on it Akino, but I'm not ready. I'm not as skilled as everyone else, I'm behind. You know it. I still can't master my chakra control. Please Akino, please talk to them..." She begged him and grabbed his hand. He was her last and only hope._

"_Akaiya-" he scolded as stared steadily into her eyes. They seemed so strange. It had started raining, and the sky turned dark. He held his hand out and watched the fat drops of rain plop onto his palm. They were the wrong color. It looked like blood._

_Akaiya grabbed his hand that was wrapped around the Kunai, and shoved it deep into her chest. _

_He panicked, and screamed. "__**Akaiya!**__ What are you doing?! No." He tried to put the kunai out of her, but his hand wouldn't move._

"_What are __**you**__ doing Akino...?" Her body melted around his kunai and splashed to the ground as a puddle of blood. Her voice lingered in his ears as he stared at his blood stained hands. _

"_What are you doing Akino..?"_

"What are you doing Akino?" a sharp crack on his forehead brought him back from his nightmare. "I brought you a visitor..." Norio cupped his chin lightly, supporting his heavy head and turned it to the right. Karu sat limp and strapped in a chair a few feet away.

"Let him go...he hasn't done anything." He choked out as he stared at the figure of his closest friend in life about to suffer the same pain he did. Karu would die. He wasn't a shinobi, he wasn't trained, and he wasn't ready. He never could be, no-one could. "Please..." he begged.

"Look who suddenly remembered how to speak. And for your information, he was a lot more help than you... he was so worried about getting you back home safe and sound. He tricked and drugged Kakashi and Sakura for us. He's quite the snake in the grass, your boss."

Akino heaved in a deep breath, or he tried too. He couldn't breathe deeply enough, his lungs weren't working and he kept gasping for air like a fish out of water. The deep breath backfired somewhere in his chest, or stomach. He pitched forward and vomited up a bubbly dark crimson foam that splattered noisily on the ground.

"Son of a bitch..." Norio frowned at his shoes. Akino had spit up blood all over them. He just bought those shoes. "Ryota...fuck! I told you **not** to kill him!" He glared at the big man in the doorway and pointed to Akino, who was slumped in the chair, wheezing and gasping.

Ryota gestured wildly to the same man in the chair. "He's fuckin **breathin**! How more alive can you get?!" his incredulous tone echoed around the room loudly.

Norio scoffed and shook his head. "Come on, we have to go talk to Sakura and Kakashi. Jun, I want you to check out their rooms and...can you handle these two when you get back?"

"Yeah, no problem. I'll see what the club-owner has to say, and see if our quiet man wants to talk now that his friend is here. If I find anything I'll go get you. " She looked toward the case at her feet and picked up the pile of senbons, and tucked them in the pouch at her back.

Norio and Ryota both looked at the case also. "Hmm...how boring. I've already used most of these on him." He motioned to Akino. "...and Jun is taking the senbons..." he frowned at the bit of twine. " String isn't exactly very nerve wracking…I guess I could strangle one of them while the other watches…." He still seemed pretty disappointed.

"You know what?" Ryota nudged him gently in the ribs. "I pulled some Kunai off both of them; they had them hidden in their clothes..."

Norio's infamous grin was slapped back onto his face with glee. "Ryota, that's wonderful! Injured by their own weapons, it's so poetic and inspiring..." He clapped the big man on his back with delight, and the two disappeared out of the door.

Jun marched out a few seconds later.

Akino struggled to stay alert. He needed to talk to Karu. He struggled and he failed.

* * *

Karu jumped awake as a hot stab of pain slid its way deep into his upper arm. He screamed and pulled away on instinct. He couldn't get away. His eyes focused on the face of the red-haired women.

She looked at him indifferently as she slipped the senbon back out of his arm. "What do you know about the Konoha shinobi?"

Karu shook his head in panic. This wasn't supposed to happen. He was supposed to go home, he helped. They said they would let Akino go. _'Akino...'_

She scoffed and in the blink of an eye she drove another senbon in to his upper thigh. "…You have to answer me or I'm going to keep doing this..." she explained as if he was a small, stupid child.

A sob tore from his throat as the weapon sunk into his leg.

"Stop..." An eerily familiar voice croaked.

"Akino?" Karu whispered, afraid of what he was hearing. It sounded like him, but it was so far away, so distorted. It couldn't be him. Akino was going to be ok. They both were going to be fine. They would get out and go back home. This wasn't real. It wasn't real.

"You back with us handsome?" Jun turned around and moved out of the way. "…Your friend didn't want to talk to us..." She sighed, feeling to need to explain Akino's appearance.

"Akino..." He stared in disbelief at the face of his friend; the boy he had taken in, the closest thing to a son he ever came to. He looked like a badly drawn picture of his Akino, not actually his Akino. It wasn't him. It couldn't be.

His face was broken. His eye was a purple mass, swollen and closed. His jaw and cheekbone puffed up, his lips and chin caked with dry blood._ 'What have they done to him...?'_

He was shirtless, and as he looked closer, he could see the squares of red, exposed tissue where pale skin should be. A thick swamp of drying and new blood mixed together underneath him. He looked dead, but he was alive, barely.

"So, if you don't want to look like him, just tell me what you told them..." she motioned toward the door.

"Will you let us go?" His voice trembled, he knew the answer, but he still longed for hope.

Jun rolled her eyes, grabbed two of the senbons and slammed them deep into his body again. She was frustrated already. She had searched both hotel rooms and came up with nothing. Now this stupid civilian wouldn't answer her, and the stupid asshole in the other chair wouldn't talk even after she peeled his skin away. She was having a shitty day. "Do you **not **understand? I'm asking you a question. Answer me..."

Akino tugged lightly on his restraints. He could hardly move, but he had to help his friend. He couldn't just sit here and watch him get tortured, listen to his screams… Watch him die.

"Please let us go...we won't say anything." Karu begged, tears ran down his red face and drool leaking from the corner of his mouth in his terror. He didn't want to die like this.

"Gods...really?! Sure, since you asked so nicely I'll just let you both go...all I was waiting for was a please..." Jun rolled her eyes again, grabbed Karu's hand and bent his fingers back severely. The light snapping noise got lost in the gut wrenching scream that followed. '…Answer me...or I'll do the rest of them..."

Kobiyashi trembled, gasped, and sobbed. His hand was soaked in pain, his whole arm throbbed. "They came, they came to the tea-house and said they were looking for rogue nin-"

"What Ninja? What rogue ninja?!"

He shook his head he couldn't remember who. He couldn't remember at all.

"**Answer me!**" another two senbons slammed into his arm.

"I don't know! I don't remember!" he screamed, his bladder letting loose all over himself as he quaked with fear. He was going to die. He was going to die here. "They didn't tell me anything...I swear...I told them about the merchants and they asked questions! I told them...that's it...I'm sorry, I'm so sorry. I'm sorry. I was just trying to help. I'm sorry!"

Jun looked on in revulsion at Kobiyashi as he cried, pleaded, and pissed himself. "I'll kill your friend right now...what did they tell you about the merchants!?"

"Nothing…nothing…"He shook his head.

She raised her senbon again, and then stopped. She reached into the pouch on her back and pulled out a scroll that was flickering brightly. "...shit..." She unrolled it quickly and read over the message, her eyes growing wide. "Oh fuck me..." She growled.

Karu whimpered in distress at her anger. His body hurt and his fingers throbbed as they quickly puffed up to fat, black and purple useless nubs on his hand.

His little noise of worry struck a chord in Jun and she forced her senbon into his leg above his knee. He screamed for help. He knew there was no help, but he screamed for it anyways.

"Stop-" Akino mumbled, through his bloody lips.

"Just shut up both of you!" Jun yelled in frustration as she pulled her eyes away from the scroll. She picked up Akino's soiled shirt off the floor and ripped it quickly and gagged both men tightly.

She was gone in an instant, the door crashing closed behind her.

* * *

The door slid open, Akino tried to look up. Maybe he did. He couldn't tell. The room was spinning, full of blotchy spots. It was too hard to figure out what was real and what wasn't anymore. He was so tired; so tired of trying to breathe, so tired of trying to stay awake. He was just so tired.

Karu jerked away from the door in fear as it opened. He had tried to communicate with his dark-haired snow-nin as soon as Jun left, but Akino was completely unresponsive. He just stared around the room or slumped forward, oblivious.

Kobiyashi's eyes focused on the two figures. Kakashi and Sakura entered the room. They had escaped, and they were here to save them. Hope swaddled him with the relief it brought. Both leaf-nin rushed to their aid. Sakura leaned over him, and started healing him even with out question even after he betrayed them both. He tried to explain. Tried to tell them how sorry he was, how he was forced to drug them both. They wouldn't listen.

"Hush karu, they will hear us." The medic scolded him softly.

He couldn't stop himself; tears sprang from his eyes as he looked them both over. Of everyone, he had suffered the least. Sakura, Kakashi and Akino had injuries and blood everywhere. He had suffered the least, and he had probably cost them the most. "I cried...I pissed myself...I told them everything I knew about you two...I'm so sorry..." his shame and fear mingled together in a whispered sob.

Kakashi drew their attention as he tried to lift Akino. "Sakura, help him..." He urged her haste with his eyes.

Akino resurfaced in to the waves of reality as Karu pleaded for his life beside him. He recognized Sakura in front of him, Kakashi was holding him up. He did the only thing he could think of; he began telling them about the enemies. The stored knowledge crept its way to the forefront of his mind. It was the only useful thing he could do.

He tried to tell them, tried to remember everything. His mind hesitated on the moment Ryota had attacked him. "I couldn't feel his chakra...he attacked me...I didn't know he was there..." His kekkei-genkai always told him, even when his regular senses failed. Why didn't it work this time? "...Never happened before..." he uttered in confused, disoriented disbelief.

Kakashi tried to tell him something but he couldn't understand it. He could feel Sakura's chakra probing into his body; it was soft and cool like a rainstorm on a hot day.

Then it was gone, and the room fell silent.

He opened his eyes. He wasn't sure if he was alone again. Maybe he had just dreamed that Kakashi and Sakura had come.

He wasn't dreaming.

Sakura's eyes were wet with tears.

'_I'm going to die...' _The thought seemed so ludicrous. He was going to take over the club. Who would help Emiko in Suna in a few weeks? Who would tell Turuko to stop drinking all the tea? Who would Kobiyashi try to set up on dates now? A small laugh slipped from his mouth. "It's ok...just set me down."

He could hear Kobiyashi, sobbing and apologizing._ 'Why is he sorry? He only ever gave me chances...only ever helped me. I never even forgave him.'_ He struggled to form the words of forgiveness and stopped. He didn't want Kobiyashi to think about their falling out, and the way Akino so blatantly refused to forgive him. He was already so upset. _'I failed again, failed to help where I was needed. I failed to do the right thing for the people I care about.'_

Sakura's delicate voice wavered as she offered him a way out of his pain. He couldn't even feel the pain anymore. He was numb. But they needed to go; Kobiyashi needed to escape, not sit here and wait for the enemy to show up again. He messed up everything in life; his death shouldn't also.

He nodded to Sakura, a tired smile pulled at the corners of his swollen lips. He turned his smile on his old friend. He had so much to say, so much to tell him, so much to thank him for, and apologize for. He lived his life so selfishly guarded, not letting anyone in. Now all he wanted to do was tell his long time friend all the secrets and stories he had never shared. But there was no time for that now. It was too late. He had no more time. He couldn't burden Kobiyashi with the troubles of a dead man.

So he said the only thing he could think of. "Kobiyashi-san...thank you"

He felt Sakura's hand on his head and had a stab of panicked realization. _'I should've called him Karu...' _

He pitched in to the black before he could try correct his last mistake.

* * *

Kobiyashi's world spun backwards as Akino dropped unconscious in front of him. He lost track of time, and of everything around him. He swam in the sea of guilt and was weighed down by the strength of fear. _'He's gone...it's my fault and he's gone...I killed him. _' The thoughts zipped back and forth through his mind as he blindly followed Sakura and Kakashi out of the building, and out of Tani.

When they stopped at the edge of the woods he leaned over and grabbed his knees, pushing back his tears and trying to suck the air into his lungs. His head was fuzzy, his legs were cramping and his lungs burned. He couldn't deal with this. Where was Akino?_ 'He's dead…and it's all my fault...I killed him.'_

"We need to get to Suna..." He heard Kakashi's voice through the din in his brain.

'_Suna, Emiko...Akino's is going to help her; she has a hotel with rooms... How can he help her now? He's dead..I killed him.' _He looked up and nodded. He could help; he could at least do this. "I have associates there...Emiko Sagawa and-"

"Where the hell do you think you guys are going?" The tremor of horror that ripped through Kobiyashi from the sound of that voice forced him to turn around.

Ryota's stood a few feet behind him; face full of anger and frustration at being eluded and forced to chase them.

Karu cried out in surprise as he tried to escape and get to Kakashi and Sakura. They could protect him. They would help him.

He was too slow.

The breath in his lungs got caught in his throat as he was dragged backwards. A lance of hot sharp confusion slipped into his back. It felt like he had been stabbed again. His chest ached terribly. He clutched at the area of pain, surprised when his shirt started turning red under his fingers. _'What's happening..?'_

Then the pain in his back came again, but only for a second and it was gone. He felt drained and weak. He had been through a lot today, he needed to rest.

When he was thrown to the ground, it was a mercy. He just wanted to lie down for a minute. He lay there as the sounds of battle snapped, popped and thundered around him. His mind drifted into fogginess as his pulse slowed. His life leaked out and soaked in to the ground under him._ 'I think Akino will run the club just fine. He's going to do really well for himself, I know he is. He's going to be great...' _He smiled at the thought.

Karu shuddered out his last breath on the leaf littered floor of the forest outside Tani, and the world never saw his smile again.

* * *

"_Akino, you're here!" Akaiya jumped up from her chair, a giant grin glued to her face._

_Akino froze and stared at his little sister._

_She walked toward him, holding her hands out, ready for an embrace from her older brother._

_He held his hand out to stop her and shook his head, stepping back as she stepped toward him. "No...please. I don't want to hurt you again."_

_Akiaya frowned at him. "What's wrong Akino?"_

_Akino tried to swallow his emotions, his face contorted in suffering as he looked at his long dead little sister. A few tears broke free and slid down his face silently as he spoke. "I'm so sorry Akaiya...I'm so sorry for leaving you. I never forgave myself."_

_The dark-haired girl shook her head at him and smiled sadly. "I know you didn't, but I forgave you a long time ago Akino. We were so young, and you were so scared. It's not your fault, it never was... It'll be ok now." She walked the few feet to him and reached her arms up in an invitation._

_Her eyes; they held no hate, no pain, and no shame as she looked at him._

_He dropped to one knee. A choked sob of relief and happiness escaped his lungs as he hugged her tightly to him. Holding her like he should have the morning she died so long ago._

_She was his little sister; he wouldn't let anything happen to her ever again._

In the tiny room that was full of blood, shadows, and shame Akino's heart stopped beating. He left all of his regrets behind. It had been a long road, and he had carried those burdens on his back, struggling under their weight the whole way.

Now he was free.

* * *

_The Road to Hell paved with good intentions._

* * *

**~Ninken Ears**

_R&R_


End file.
